Court Fields School shares in £3.84 million grant for two special educational needs bases

A SHARE of a £3.84 million fund will be going to Wellington’s Court Fields School to develop bases for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) so they can learn closer to home.

Court Fields previously announced it hoped to host two SEND units, one by converting the former caretaker’s bungalow and the other to absorb The Cove, a facility previously operated by Taunton’s Selworthy Special School.

Now, Somerset Council has confirmed it will be one of 11 schools across the county where the money would be used to create a total of 104 new SEND places in mainstream education settings.

The selected schools will be subject to feasibility checks and any required consultation before the project goes ahead.

Detailed feasibility work will determine the design, cost, and deliverability of each project before final investment decisions are made, meaning not all sites may ultimately be suitable for progression.

The project is aimed at giving more children the right support in their local area, reducing long journeys to school, and lessening reliance on costly independent placements outside the county.

The new units will be small, dedicated provisions within mainstream schools offering tailored teaching, specialist staff, and adapted spaces while allowing pupils to remain part of the wider school community.

Somerset executive Cllr Evie Potts-Jones said: “At the heart of this is something very simple, making sure children and young people with SEND can access the right provision, in the right place, at the right time.

“It is not simply about increasing the number of places.

“It is about developing a more inclusive and sustainable education system, with more children and young people able to access appropriate provision closer to their homes, families, and communities.

“Those places must be well-designed, appropriately staffed, and focused on outcomes, wellbeing, belonging, attendance, and participation.

“We should also recognise capital investment is only one part of the wider work needed to improve SEND provision in Somerset.

“Buildings and places alone will not deliver the change we want to see.

“This investment needs to work alongside our wider focus on inclusion, early intervention, sufficiency, and, most importantly, better outcomes for children and young people.”

A further £340,000 will fund practical adaptations such as ramps, lifts, hygiene rooms, and specialist facilities so pupils with disabilities or medical needs can attend their local school.

Another £1.68 million investment will help create 42 SEND support bases between 2027 and 2030.

The support bases will provide early, targeted help for pupils who are struggling to access education successfully but may not need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

The programme extends the council’s existing three-year plan, bringing the overall target to 344 places in SEND bases and another 88 places through special school expansion or satellite provision.

The new spending approval leaves the council with £7.302 million currently unallocated from a Department for Education grant.

A council spokesperson said schools, academy trusts, parents and carers, local communities, and other partners would be consulted where required as the individual proposals were developed.